The New York Save Jeju Action Committee is calling on peace activists, environmentalists and all New Yorkers join us for a peaceful and creative rally and occupation to demand an end to naval base construction in Gangjung Village, Jeju Island, South Korea. Please wear black and bring instruments and noisemakers!

Stay informed and show your support!

 For more information and to express support sign the petition, which we will be delivering to the consulate: please sign the petition, visit: www.savejejuisland.org and see the press release below.

Gangjeong, South Korea—Despite an official appeal from Jeju Governor Woo to the South Korean Navy to halt the blast of the sacred Gureombi volcanic coastline on Jeju Island, the Navy and Samsung Corporation have proceeded to detonate 800 kilograms of explosives near the seashore. The blasting is estimated to last for five months using 43 tons of explosives.

Yesterday, Governor Woo issued an emergency written appeal to Seoul citing concern about the environmental destruction and likely clashes between village protestors and police.

An intense standoff is now underway between Gangjeong villagers and hundreds of police in riot gear who were shipped from the Korean mainland to suppress the peaceful protests. Already dozens of arrests have been made, mostly of women who chained themselves to trucks and other barricades to block Samsung vehicles transporting the explosives. Activists have also used kayaks to block Samsung ships from dredging the coastline, which is home to several endangered marine life, such as the red-footed crab and soft coral reef.

“It is a sad day for Jeju Island, for democracy, for the environment and for peace,” said Gloria Steinem, author and longtime feminist who has been supporting the nonviolent resistance on Jeju Island to stop the naval base.

“Jeju isn't just any island,” explains American actor Robert Redford. “It has just been selected as one of the “Seven Wonders of Nature” for its breathtaking beauty, unique traditions and sacred groves. Of the world's 66 UNESCO Global Geoparks, nine are on Jeju Island.” The Gureombi coastline is a continuous volcanic rock formation along Gangjeong village, along the southern part of Jeju Island, which is approximately 50 miles south of the Korean peninsula.

For the past five years, Gangjeong villagers have been waging a nonviolent campaign against the construction of the naval base. In a referendum, 96 percent of the villagers voted against the base. Despite these and other democratic efforts, the South Korean government has arrested, fined and beaten nonviolent protestors for impeding the construction.

Many international arms experts suspect that the naval base will be in the service of the U.S. missile defense system as part of the U.S. pivot towards the Asia Pacific in its efforts to contain China. Villagers say they are the unfortunate target of an arms race between the US and China.

Nodutdol eNews is the monthly e-mail newsletter of Nodutdol.Through grassroots organization and community development, Nodutdol seeks to bridge divisions created by war, nation, gender, sexual orientation, language, classes and generation among Koreans and to empower our community to address the injustice we and other people of color face here and abroad. Nodutdol works in collaboration with other progressive organizations locally, nationally and internationally as part of a larger movement for peace and social change.

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